By IANS,
New Delhi : Expressing concern over the increasing number of illegal immigrants in the capital, the Delhi High Court Tuesday said they pose a danger to India’s internal security, and dismissed a petition by a Bangladeshi national against her deportation.
Justice S.L. Bhayana dismissed Razia Begum’s petition and upheld the Foreigners Regional Registration Office’s (FRRO) decision to deport her and four of her family members back to Bangladesh.
“If someone is able to obtain a passport, ration card, election identification card and nationalality certificate by illegal means, it doesn’t meant that one is an Indian national – until and unless one gets his nationality through legal means,” court said.
Razia Begum and four others of her family were arrested from Khanpur area of south Delhi Dec 28, 2007, by the deportation cell of the FRRO on the basis of a tip-off.
The police recovered a fake ration card, election I-cards and nationality certificates from them.
Opposing Razia Begum’s contention that she is an Indian national, Delhi Police stated that her family had come to India from Bangladesh in 1990 and on investigation they could not produce any birth certificate or any other document to establish their claim that they are Indian nationals.
In April, the FRRO decided to deport all five of them.
Razia Begum and her family members approached the Delhi High Court, challenging the FRRO’s decision.
The court in May dismissed the petition of the other four.
“Deportation is a process and not a punishment. An increasing number of illegal immigrants in the capital are posing a great danger to our internal security,” said the judge.
Earlier this year, the court asked the Delhi government to speed up the deportation of Bangladeshis illegally living in the capital and asked for monthly progress reports.